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RBPRIGERATOR 'GARIV Y No. 565,851. I Patented Aug. 4, 1896.

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C.S.HARDY. REFRIGBRATQR GAR.

Patented Aug. 4, 189,6'.

. erator-cars, and particularly in the so-called UNITED STATES` j PATENTOFFICE.

CHARLES S. HARDY, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

.REFRIGERATOR-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,351, dated August4, 1896.

Application filed May 17, 1895. Serial No. 549,676. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs S. HARDY, residing at San Diego, in thecounty of San Diego and State of California, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Refrigerator- Cars, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement in refrigice-plug and cooperating parts,which also cooperates with a lid in closing the openings that receiveice in roof of car. The ice-plug is known to those skilled in the art asbeing a separate and distinct structureV and not attached to outer lid.It is specifically used to further insulation in closing openings thatreceive ice. It differs from the lid that is provided with an insulatedface, but is used in addition to such lids. All lids are operated fromhinges attached to roof of car, and cannot t as closely as the ice-plug,which is placed in the opening in the same manner that a cork is placedin a bottle. The' iceplug also leaves an air-space between itself andthe outer lid, which is beneficial. All ice-plugs are constructed ofnon-conducting material and with beveled sides which are covered withflexible material near their top and bottom edges, which completes thesealing of the ice-plugs against the matched. beveled walls of theice-openings when the plug has been adj usted, and hence it will beunderstood that the ice-plug is a separate and distinct structure andused in completing the partial effect of the outer lid inperfectinginsulation, the heart of the plug being adapted to open up and allow theair to pass through it to the interior of the car,'the object being toso construct the ice-plug that it may efficien tly serve as aninsulating closure for the iceopening and may have its partsreadilyadjusted to cooperate toward producing a ventilator. y

To this end the invention consists in certain novel constructions andcombinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed outin the claims. f

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of one endof a car provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a perspective View ofthe device adj usted for use as a plug, parts being broken away andothers shown in section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view, some of the partsbeing in position for use as a plug and others for Ventilating purposes,Fig. 4 is a section on line 4; 4. of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a section on line5 5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section of the device with the parts as in useas a plug, and Fig. 7 is a detail perspective View. Fig; S is a detailperspective view of the plug folded, and Fig. 9 is a detail perspectiveView of the plug partially unfolded.

In practice it is usual to provide four icesupply openings A, two ateach end of the car, such openings leading to the ice-holders within thecar, which holders may manifestly be of any desired construction. Thewalls of theseopenings A in the construction shown are provided withpacking-strips B', and in the walls of such openings I form notches orseats a for pins or projections C on the frame of the ice-plug presentlydescribed. These pins or projections `and the notches or seats pre- Ventthe plugs from being put in wrong and also bring them to a level bearingin their openings. The plug B has at the outer edge of its frame Dypacking-strips E, which, t0- gether with the packing-strips of theice-supply opening, secure a tight fitting of the plug within itsopening. To the frame D are pivoted the end sections F, the rear sectionG, and the front section H, and within such frame I fix the section I,the opposite edges of which coincide with the swinging edges of the endsections F, and the latter fit, in the folded position thereof, closelyagainst the edges of the iiXed section and are held in position bysections II and G when all parts are closed.` These end sections and thefixed section are imperforate, so that-when the end sections are foldeddown in closed position they, with the fixed section, form an imper-`forate plug which will operate to secure a IOO the parts are adjustedfor use as a ventilator and produce a tight joint between the side andend sections. Vhen the end sections are turned down and the sidesections are folded down upon the end sections and the plug is fitted inthe ice-opening, spaces are left at M between the hinged edges of theside sections and the plug-frame- To close these spaces to preventcinders and the like from getting therein and injuring the plug, Iprovide cover-plates M', hinged at m to the sections and arranged tooverlap the spaces when the side sections are folded flat. At the sametime these cover-plates permit the side sections to be readily raised toposition for use as a ventilator. The front section is made in the formof a screen and the rear section is preferably imperforate. It will benoticed that the front section and the rear section are inclinedtransversely at their free edges, while the end sections are inclinedlongitudinally at their free edges, and the inclinations are similar, sothat when the several sections are raised to upright position theirinclined edges will coincide and lie in a common plane to properlyreceive the lid N. This lid N has its swinging connection with the car,such connection being preferably in the nature of a bail O, jointed atone edge to the car and at its other edge to the lid, so the latter maybe adjusted to close the ice-opening or to rest upon the foldingsections of the plug to complete the ventilator. In the lat` teradjustment the lid is secured by suitable fastenings, preferably hookedrods P, secured to the car and engaging eyes P on the lid; This lid isprovided on its under side with portions for.` engagement by thesections of the plug, such portions being preferably cleats Q on theunder side of the lid, as shown.

Bymy invention I provide a plug whose parts are adjustable to permit theconvenient conversion of the plug into aventilator, such construction inno way impairing the eiiiciency of the plug, but combining in onestructure both the plug and the ventilator. This enables me to use thesame plug in the winter months, when the refrigeratoncars are employedin the shipment of fruit without ice, and to readily convert such pluginto a ventilator. This avoids the use of separate structures andinsures the provision of the car with either an ice-plug ora ventilator,as may be desired.

My device is advantageous in cars having folding ice-tanks, as thecommon ice-plug cannot be conveniently used in connection with thesecars, as no space would be left in which to store the plug when tankswere folded and cars used for cargoes requiring ventilation only. Beforeclosing my description I wish it to be understood that my invention andmy claims will apply specifically to an improved construction of a trueand effective convertible inner ice-plug that may be changed to aventilator, when required, without removing the ice-plug, and the partsof which coperate, and are at all times employed, thus differing from amere frame or an insulated outer lid having parts that in no way furnishinsulation and will form a ventilator only.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

l. In an apparatus substantially as described, an inner ice-plug havinga foldable section whereby its heart may open up and adapt it tocoperate with the lid or hatch in forming a ventilator and an outer lidor hatchdoor, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus substantially as described, the combination of aseparate outer lid or hatch and an inner ice-plug having foldingsections which may be adjusted to cooperate with other parts of suchplug in its use as an ice-plug orto open up the said plug and cooperatewith the separate lid or hatch in forming parts of a ventilator, allsubstantially as shown and described.

3. In an apparatus substantially as described, an inner ice-plugcomprising a frame and a series of sections foldable therein wherebythey may coperate in forming parts of an ice-plug and also of aventilator and a separate lid adapted as a cover for both the plug andventilator, substantially as set forth.

4. An apparatus substantially as described comprising the lid or hatchand aninner iccplug having parts which may be adjusted to coperate withother parts of said plug in performing its functions as an ice-plug orwhich may be adjusted to coperate with the lid or hatch in operating asa ventilator substantially as shown and described.

5. In a convertible ice-plug and ventilator, the combination with thescreen-section of imperforate sections extending throughout the area ofthe screen in the folded adjustment of the parts, substantially as setforth.

6. In a convertible ice-plug and ventilator, a plug made in sectionswhereby it may cooperate in forming a ventilator, and having imperforatesections which when `the plug is folded or closed extend throughout thearea thereof whereby the latter will when folded effectually close itsopening substantially as described.

7. The combination with the car having the ice-opening, and the ice-plugfitted thereto and having sections capable of adjustment to form partsof a ventilator, of the lid, and a swinging connection between said lidand the car whereby the lid may be applied directly to close theice-opening or uponthe ice-plug sections when the latter are 'adj ustedto form parts of the ventilator, substantially as set forth.

8. An ice-plug provided with a hinged section and with a cover-flapjointed to said section and guarding the joint between the latter andits support, substantially as set forth.

9. A convertible iceplug and ventilator having folding end and si dcsections and hav- ICO IIO

ing attached strips overlapping the joints between said side and endsections, substantially as set forth.

10. A separate convertible ice-plu g and ventilator having the ice-plugprovided with folding end and side sections that open upward, the freeedges of the side sections being inclined transversely and those of theend sections being inclined longitudinally the edges of both side andend sections coinciding in a common plane when the sections are adjustedto position for use as a ventilator and a lid or cover substantially asset forth.

11. An ice-plug provided with hinged side sections opening upward andhaving coverplates overlapping the hinged edges thereof in the foldedposition of same substantially as set forth.

12. A ventilator composed of hinged sections and adapted to fold out ofway when not in use as a ventilator the front and rear sectionsprovided-with lianges that seal the joints between side and end sectionsand assist in holding said sections in a vertical position when in useas a ventilator, substantially as set forth and described.

13. In an apparatus substantially as described, a plug having sectionsfolding to form a closing-plug and opening to form parts of aventilator, substantially as set forth.

14. A plug comprising a frame, a central fixed imperforate portion,imperforate end sections hinged to the frame and tting at their swingingedges snugly to the edges of the fixed portion and the hinged front andrear sections turning down upon the end section and fixed portion,substantially as set forth.

15. The car having the opening provided in its walls with notches orseats combined with the plug fitted to said opening and having pins orprojections entering said seats substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of the car having the ice-opening, the plug tted tosaid opening and having sections adjustable to position to cooperate informing a ventilator the lid fitted to close the ice-opening and havingon its under side seats for engagement by the adjustable sections of theplug when the latter are set for use as a ventilator and fastenings forsaid lid, substantially as set forth.

17. The combination of a plug having imperforate sections which when theplug is folded or closed extend throughout the area thereof, some ofsuch imperforate plug-sections being adapted to cooperate in forming theventilator, and the cover forming the top of the ventilator and aprotecting cover for the plug substantially as shown and described.

18. The combination with an outer lid or cover of an inner ice-plu ghaving folding sections forming with the cover aventilator when unfoldedand forming a dead-air space with said cover when the sections arefolded for use as an ice-plu g, substantially as' described.

CHARLES S. HARDY. Vitnesses:

H. M. JAooBY, GEO. N. OBRIEN.

